Open-top refrigerated display case



w WSU G. E. SPANGLER 2,495,554

OPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed Dec. 14, 1948 5 Shets-Sheet l 93 M 2 i 1 WEJQ 1 Georg/e ETfi anyZez ATTORNEY 9 s. E. SPANGLER 2,495,554

OPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed Dec. 14, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 D1 all]. 5 -1 [0D 10 i 5 11 88 87} 10- &

ATTOR N EY- 4, MW e. E. SPANGLER 2,495,554

OPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE Filed Dec. 14, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 23 & George E @mn k ATTOR N EY- Jan. 24, 195%) G. E. SPANGLER OPEN TOP REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 14, 1948 $150. wm. P x hm ATTORNEY- atented Jan. 254, 1950 STATES PATENT OFFICE to Ed. Friedrich, Ina,

poration of Texas San Antonio, Tex., a cor- Application December 14, 1948, Serial No. 65,227 8 Claims. (Cl. 62 89'.5)

My invention relates to self-serving or open top refrigerators for foods, etc., and it has for its objects:

1. To provide an improved three decker or three level case having removable ends to enable the case to be extended by the interposition of additional intermediate sections.

2. To provide a three level case wherein each level of each section has its own individual air circulation mechanism and chilling coil, which chilling coils of all sections may be connected in parallel to the condenser and compressor of a refrigeration system.

3. To provide a three level case of an improved construction in which improved means are provided for detachably coupling the ends to the intermediate section or sections and for coupling intermediate sections together.

ll. To provide a three level case with improved motor-turbine units that can be removed and replaced from the food chamber without dismantling the case.

5. To provide a case in which the temperature in the several levels of the case can be independently controlled whereby the several levels can maintain different temperatures and different air-flow rates, if desired.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.- 1 is a front elevation of my improved open top refrigerated display case.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. at is a horizontal of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation on a reduced scale showing a case with one pair of ends and two intermediate sections.

. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 7 is a detail section on a larger taken on the line l-ll of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation showing the means for securing the upper end of one end section to an intermediate section of the case.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 3-9 of Fig. 8.

section on the line fllt scale,

' ed in the motor-turbine chamber.

Fig. 15 is a detail section on an enlarged scale on the line |5l5 of Fig. 6.-

In the drawing in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, I represents transverse angle irons which support a base plate 2 on which is mounted wooden frame beams 6, a front longitudinal wooden beam 3 and rear longitudinal beam 2. The beams 3, t and 6 constitute the bottom frame in which heat and cold insulation blocks 20 are mounted and on which the floor pan 2% of the lower level is mounted (see Figs. 2 and 3).

l, 8 and 9 are wooden side wall plates against which the removable ends of the case fit as will later more fully appear. l0, ill are channel irons extending transversely between the side wall plates 8 and 9 and at the top of the case (see Figs. 3 and 2 respectively). The back of the case (exclusive of the ends) is composed of a frame of Wooden bars 5, ll, and H between which are heat and cold insulation blocks 22, 23, an inner metal lining I t and a back metal cover l3. Nailing strips l2 are embedded in the insulation 22 and 23.

i5 designates awooden bracket or support for the floor of the second level, the lower faceof which bracket is inclined from the front in a downwardly backward direction and is lined with a liner 38 which constitutes the ceiling of the lower level compartment. l6 designates a wooden bracket or support for the ceiling 3 9 of the second level compartment and the floor M of the third level compartment.

Wooden bars l1, l8 and I 9 provide a support for the lower end of a mirror 42 and its protecting back plate 43.

Covering the insulation 2| on the bracket 15 is the floor 0nd level compartment.

At the front of each food compartment is a windowcomposed of a frame 91, 91 91 respectively and double glasses 26, 21, 28 respectively,

that is supported pan 40 of the secaccepts 3 25 is a finish moulding at the bottom of the case.

Adjacent each window is a shelf supporting strip 29, 30, 3! respectively. Rear shelf supports 92, 33, 34 are also provided in the respective compartments for supporting removable wirerod shelves 35, 36, e1 respectively.

Each compartment is separately illuminated by suitable suitably shielded by platees (ll, 58 and it, the plate M havingtwogrooved strips 50 and iii for price tags related respectively to the first and second level compartments while the plate it has but one grooved strip 5i for price tags related to the upper or third level compartment. At the back of each food compartment is a perforated wall 52, 53, M respectively. Each of said walls is spaced from the back liner It and has a backwardly bent partition 52, 53, 5t refrom the respective bottom, 2 I

spectively, spaced pans to provide return ducts t5, 56, iii respectively to the air circulating turbines hereinafter again referred to. To the rear of the walls [52, 33, 54 respectively 63 respectively. The coils are supported on horizontal foraminous finned partitions M, 65, and 66 respectively and over the coils and spaced therefrom are other horizontal partitions or top shields 58, 59 and tions 64, 65, 66 are spaced above the respective partitions 52 53, M to provide pressure air ducts 61, 68 and $9 respectively. The ducts t5 and 61 communicate at one end with a motorturbine chamber 10, the ducts 55 and 911 communicate with a motor-turbine chamber 10, while the ducts El and t9 communicate with the motor-turbine chamber of the top or third level.

The motor-turbine units consist of a support ll, 12, 13 respectively for the motor'i l and turbine li of the respective units (Fig. 14) and a male electric terminal coupling it that plugs into a female socket handy box it to which feed wires (not shown) lead in a well known way. The unit as shown in Fig. 14 may readily be removed and replaced from the chamber it for repairs when necessary.

luminaires M, 65, and it respectively,-

are refrigerating coils SI, 62,

60 respectively. The partishown in Figs. 5 and ill, 18, it respectively indicate the usual heat exchangers used in similar types of refrigerators and 82, 82 82 indicate the usual expansion valves (one for each level), while 80, til 80 and BI, 8i, ti indicate the refrigerant lines which connect with the outside lines to the usual con denser and compressor of a refrigerating system. The refrigerant lines til, iii, 80, iii, etc. may be separately connected tothe condenser and compressor or they may be connected in multiple to a single condenser and compressor as may be found most desirable and each motor it may be provided with a separate speed control and each cooling coil iii, 62, til may have a separate temperature regulator if desired whereby each individual unit (air circulator and cooler) may be separately set for proper performance in the complete assembly.

Each case unit includes at least one intermediate sub-unit as described and a single pair of ends. Each end section or unit comprises a frame composed of wooden bars 63, 83, 83, til, 63, $3 83 with suitable heat and cold insulation 84, 86, 86 all enclosed in a metal covering 8% (Figs. 3 and 4).

For securing the ends to the adjacent interthe front of the top portion with aligningpinstii that enter recesses 89 in the frame bars 83 (Figs. 10 and 11) and fasten the two parts together with wood screws 81 At the bottom I use angles 92, screws 93 and bolt and nut connection 95 (see Fig. 13). Suitable gaskets are interposed between the end and intermediate sections. At the back the end and adjacent intermediate section are held together at the top by draw bolts and nuts E00 passing through U-shaped members 99,99, welded respectively to the metal plates and I3 (Figs. 6, 8 and 9). The

channels l0, l0"- between adjacent portions of two tion adjacent bolts and nuts 9 (Fig. 12).

When two or more intermediate sections or units are used they are secured end to end as 6, pivoted latches 95 and latch pins 95 being used at the bottom of adjacent intermediate sections. .When two intermediate sections are used the abutting window frames are connected together by bolts and nuts 98 passed through the frames, as best shown in Fig. 7.

The top of the intermediate section is formed by a plate 96 which may be a continuation of the shield t9 (see Fig. 2).

Suitable provisions Iill, lill I02 are made for draining water of condensation from the several return ducts 5t, 6t, 51.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 it will be seen that imperforate plates 102, I02, )2 are pro-' vided which extend from the respective supports 32, 33,3 3 up along side the perforated plates 52, 53, 5 5 respectively and serve as the front walls of the return air ducts 5E, lit, 61 respectively. The plates I02, etc. extend up only a short distance above the shelves 36, etc. so as to leave uncovered the major areas of the perforated plates 52, etc.

It will further be observed from Fig. 2 that the ceilings 38, 39, d2 of the respective level compartments A, B, C are of progressively increasing angles to the horizontal and the compartments are of progressively decreasing depth from the bottom to the top of the case and the cooling coils of the respective levels are likewise progressively decreased in size and the heights of the windows also progressively decrease from that of the lowest to that of the highest level.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention will readily appear to those skilled in the art;

What I claim is:

1. A three level open top refrigerated display case, including at least one intermediate section and two ends, and means to secure the ends to the intermediate section, said intermediate section having a lower food compartment, a second level food compartment and a top compartment and a separate cooling coil and air circulating unit located at the back portion of each compartment.

2. A three level open top refrigerated display case, including at least one intermediate section and two ends, and means to secure the ends to the intermediate section, said intermediate section having a lower food compartment, a second level food compartment and a top compartment and a separate cooling coil and air circulating unit for each compartment, said'intermediate section further including front windows and ceilpressure and return ducts ,ceaeoc oi the compartment toward but short of the iront windows of the respective compartments; it, three level open top refrigerated display case which includes three t chambers located at difierent levels, each chamber having a bottom, a front window, an inclined ceiling and a back, said back being composed of a back wall, a perforated wall spaced from the back wall, horizontal partitions between said back wall and said perforated wall and defining a pressure duct and a return duct and a cooling'coil compartmerit, a cooling coil in said cooling coil compartindent, a motor-tnrbinechamber with which said communicate, and a removable motor turbine unit in said motorturbine chamber, spaced shelf supports in each food chamber at the rear of the chamber, imperiorate plates set on said shelf supports and extending part waynp said perforated wall.

d. In a. three level open top'refrigerated display case, a'pair of intermediate sections and a pair of ends, means securing said intermediate sections together end to end, said means comprising, on the back of the sections, draw bolts and eye members secured to the intermediate sections adjacent their tops through which eye members said bolts pass, and foot latches for securing said sections together at the bottom, and another draw bolt and eye member on the front or said sections at the bottom of the same and means for securing said ends to the intermediate sections.

5. In a three level open top refrigerated display case, a pair of intermediate sections and a pair or ends, means securing said intermediate sections together end to end, said means comprising, on the back 01' the sections, draw bolts and eye members secured to the intermediate sections adJacent their tops through which eye 9 members said bolts securing said tion ends together.

prising, on the back of the and means for securing mediate sections, said intermediate sections hav-' 6. In a three level open top refrigerated display case, a pair of intermediate sections and a. pair of ends, means securing said'intermediate sections together end to end, said meanscomsections, draw bolts and eye members secured sections adjacent their tops members said bolts pass, I securing said sections together at the bottom, and another draw bolt and eye member on the from of said sections at'the bottom of the same said ends to the interthrough which eye ing at their ends, channel irons and bolts and nuts securing the channel irons of adjacent section ends together, the means for securing said ends to the intermediate sections comprising screws passing through the adjacent channel irons into said ends. 7

GEORGE E. SPANGLER. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this Potent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS pas, and foot latches for channel irons of adiacent'secv to the intermediate and foot latches for 

